Longest feathers on a wild bird

The longest feathers recorded from any species of wild bird are the central tail feathers of Reeves's pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii), native to the mountains of central and northern China. These feathers sometimes exceed 2.4 m (8 ft) in length, and if thrown up in flight they act as a brake, causing the bird to drop vertically down into the cover of trees to escape any would-be attacker.